Sistine Chapel of Football

[1][2] Inspired by Michelangelo's classic fresco, The Creation of Adam found in the Sistine Chapel in Rome, it was created in 2014[3] by the Argentine graphic designer and artist Santiago Barbeito (aka Santuke).

[7] Initially, the first idea was to recreate a sky with clouds but then a new proposal would emerge that included Messi, Maradona and other historical representatives of Argentine football.

[7][8] "For us this is a sacred temple of football and what better way to express it with a suitable ceiling, one like the Sistine Chapel," Ricardo Elsegood, the club's head coach told local media.

[9][10][11] In this recreation of the fresco by Michelangelo, Lionel Messi represents Adam and Diego Maradona acts as God,[12] while the cherubs who complete the scene are Juan Román Riquelme, Gabriel Batistuta, Mario Kempes, Sergio Agüero, Claudio Caniggia, Ricardo Bochini and Ariel Ortega.

[5] “It is like Maradona grants Messi the legacy of good football,” explained Santiago Barbeito, author of the artwork.

The painting on the ceiling was inspired by The Creation of Adam and depicts Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona at the front, with other notable footballers such as Juan Román Riquelme, Gabriel Batistuta, Mario Kempes, Sergio Agüero, Claudio Caniggia, Ricardo Bochini and Ariel Ortega at the background
The Creation of Adam was the inspiration for the painting